But a recent campaign mailing from GOP South Shore Assembly candidate Lou Tobacco shows that the old warhorse may need a facelift.

The four-page, color mailing calls Tobacco "the Right Person for the Job!" and on the front page features photos of Rep. Vito Fossella and Councilmen Andy Lanza, Jimmy Oddo and Vinny Ignizio, Republicans all.

Funny, we thought Lanza was elected to the state Senate a few months ago. Isn't that part of the reason why Tobacco is running for the Assembly in the first place? Lanza leaves his Council seat for the Senate, Ignizio leaves the Assembly for the Council, Tobacco runs for the Assembly? Did we miss a domino falling somewhere?

To be fair, Lanza's title is correct in other places on the mailing, but it looks like someone's computer template needs to be updated.

One other criticism while we're on the topic: You think the GOP could take some new photos of its officials? The Lanza picture on Tobacco's mailing has been used on campaign literature, including Lanza's own, since 2003. We've seen that Oddo photo dozens of times over the last few years as well, and Ignizio's snapshot ain't new either.

If the Republicans want to make a change, we know a couple of shutterbugs who'd probably appreciate the business.

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Retired GOP state Sen. John Marchi has stepped up to the plate on behalf of Republican North Shore Assembly candidate Rose Margarella.

In a letter sent to district residents, Marchi calls Ms. Margarella "superbly qualified" for the Assembly, and says she "embodies the best that is Staten Island."

"Her agenda for representing you in the Assembly is keyed to tax-cutting, improving our schools, protecting children's safety and making Staten Island the kind of decent community it has long been," Marchi writes.

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Democratic North Shore Assembly candidate Matt Titone, who is looking to succeed the late Assemblyman John Lavelle, has been endorsed by the NARAL Pro-Choice New York PAC.

"Assembly member John Lavelle was a strong advocate for a woman's right to choose in the New York State Assembly," said Kelli Conlin, the group's president. "He will be sorely missed. One way we can honor his legacy is by electing Matthew Titone to fill his seat. Matthew Titone will be a solid pro-choice voice and leader in Albany."

Meanwhile, Titone's Independence Party opponent, Kelvin Alexander, has been backed by the Coalition of Outsiders, a Bronx-based group of activists from the black and Latino communities.

The group said it supports Alexander "because of his support for our principles of reform, non-partisan governance and out-of-the-box policy initiatives."

The coalition was formed in 2005 to back Mayor Mike Bloomberg's re-election bid by urging New Yorkers to vote for him on the Independence line.